Toxic Coaching Research

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In the world of sports, athletes face not only the physical challenges of their game, but also the complex dynamics of coaching styles and team interactions. Without a proper coach and positive team culture, it can become very difficult for athletes to maintain their well-being while also trying to succeed at the game they love. Although there is much debate, many people believe strict and toxic coaching is necessary for athletic success, a careful examination would show that toxic coaching and team cultures have a substantial effect on athletes and their mental health and well-being. Toxic coaching and team cultures are detrimental to athletes' mental health, impact their performance and enjoyment of the sport, and delay their overall development as athletes. Toxic coaching and toxic team cultures have been proven to be detrimental to an athlete's mental health and can lead to a domino of negative long-term consequences, including burnout, mental health issues, and the potential loss of talented athletes (Masters). In a survey I conducted in Canandaigua, over 50% of athletes who participated reported feeling somewhat or very uncomfortable sharing the …show more content…

They believe that toughness is necessary to build resilience and strength in athletes. However, the short-term gains achieved are far outweighed by the long-term consequences. Strict and punishing coaching methods can lead to fear, anxiety, and burnout, ultimately diminishing an athlete's performance and love for the sport. Additionally, research has shown that supportive coaching practices lead to better psychological and physical well-being, higher motivation, and greater commitment (Quezada and Schlabach). Therefore, the argument for toxic coaching as a tool to improve performance is invalid and has been proven to hurt athletes rather than help them in the long

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